bấu xén

bấu xén

Anh ta bị nghi ngờ bấu xén vật tư trong nhà kho.

Definitions
  1. Verb:
    • To pilfer, to steal small amounts: "bấu xén" refers to the act of secretly taking small quantities of things, especially from a workplace or common resource, often over time.
    • To scrape together, to scrounge: It can also imply gathering or taking bits and pieces in a petty, often dishonest, manner.
Usage Examples
  • Verb:
    • Anh ta bị nghi ngờ bấu xén vật tư trong nhà kho. (He is suspected of pilfering supplies from the warehouse.)
    • Việc bấu xén nguyên liệu làm tăng chi phí sản xuất. (Pilfering raw materials increases production costs.)
    • Không được bấu xén đồ đạc của công ty cho việc riêng. (Do not pilfer company property for personal use.)
Advanced Usage

  • "bấu xén của công": to embezzle or pilfer from the public/state property.

    • Hành vi bấu xén của công là vi phạm pháp luật. (The act of pilfering public property is illegal.)

  • "bấu xén thời gian": to steal time (e.g., from work for personal matters).

    • Nhân viên đó thường xuyên bấu xén thời gian làm việc để lướt mạng. (That employee often steals work time to surf the web.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Bớt xén (verb): to skim off, to reduce dishonestly (often money). This is a close synonym but can imply a more direct deduction.
  • Thụt két (verb, colloquial): to skim money, to embezzle cash. This is more specific to money.
  • Ăn bớt (verb): to take a cut, to skim off. Often used in commercial contexts.
Synonyms
  • Pilfer: to steal (typically things of small value) in small quantities.
  • Embezzle: to steal or misappropriate (money or property placed in one's trust). ("Bấu xén" is often on a smaller scale).
  • Filch: to steal something, especially something of little value, in a casual way.
  • Siphon off: to gradually steal money or resources, often from an organization.
Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As "bấu xén" is a Vietnamese verb, it does not have English phrasal verbs. The concept is expressed with the synonyms and phrases above.

Related Idioms
  • "Vặt đầu cá, vá đầu tôm": (Literally: To pick at the head of the fish, to patch the head of the shrimp). This idiom describes the action of taking tiny bits from many sources, similar to the petty, accumulative nature of "bấu xén".